On the Detection of Fast Moving H, He and Neutral Atoms in the Solar Corona During the Total Solar Eclipses of 2015 and 2017

We report on the detection of cool chromospheric material associated with hot coronal plasmas forming the filamentary structures of CMEs. The spectroscopic observations were acquired during the total solar eclipses of 20 March 2015 and 21 August 2017. Doppler-shifted emission from H, He, Mg I, Fe I and Fe II was observed within the 2 MK Fe XIV 530.3 nm hot corona, traveling at speeds of 100 to 1500 km/s in 2015, and at 100 to 800 km/s in 2017 within 2 solar radii of the solar surface. The coronal mass ejection in 2017 occurred during totality, while the 2015 event was triggered before the eclipse. These observations are the first to unequivocally confirm that a significant fraction of prominence material escapes unscathed from the Sun during their eruption.